# US 9,435,886 B2 · Proximity sensor including enclosed accommodation space with sealed light passage and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,886 B2 - Document ID: US9435886B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/061,709 - Filed: 2013-10-23 - Published: 2014-05-15 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-14 - Assignees: Pixart Imaging Incorporation - Applicants: Nientse Chen - Inventors: Nientse Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435886B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - G01S 7/4811: {common to transmitter and receiver} - G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target - Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A proximity sensor includes a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and a housing. The transmitter unit transmits a light signal. The receiver unit receives the light signal reflected by an object to determine a proximity status of the object. The housing defines a first enclosed accommodation space for accommodating the receiver unit, wherein the portion of the housing defining the first enclosed accommodation space has a sealed light passage made of a light-transmissible material such that the receiver unit is capable of receiving the light signal reflected by the object through the light passage. The housing can further include a second enclosed accommodation space for accommodating the transmitter unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A proximity sensor, comprising: a transmitter unit, for transmitting a light signal; a receiver unit, for receiving the light signal reflected by an object to determine a proximity status of the object; and a housing having at least a portion which defines an enclosed receiver accommodation space for surrounding and accommodating the receiver unit, wherein the portion of the housing defining the enclosed receiver accommodation space includes a sealed first light passage made of a light-transmissible material, and the light passage is provided for the light signal reflected by the object to pass through; wherein the housing includes a portion made of the light-transmissible material whose surface is partially covered by the light shielding material such that the uncovered light-transmissible material forms the first light passage, and the enclosed receiver accommodation space formed by the housing is larger than the receiver unit so that there is empty space around the receiver unit, wherein the housing includes a top cover and at least one partition wall both made of the light-transmissible material, and the light shielding material includes at least one side shielding layer and a top shielding layer, wherein the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface of the top cover, or the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface and a top surface of the top cover. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor of claim 1, further comprising a light extinction structure disposed between the top shielding layer and the side shielding layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the side shielding layer is adhered to one side or both sides of the partition wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor of claim 1, further comprising a light extinction structure disposed between the top shielding layer and the side shielding layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the side shielding layer is adhered to one side or both sides of the partition wall. ### Claim 6 A manufacturing method of a proximity sensor, wherein the proximity sensor includes a substrate, a transmitter unit on the substrate for transmitting a light signal, and a receiver unit on the substrate for receiving the light signal reflected by an object to determine a proximity status of the object, the manufacturing method comprising: providing the substrate, to accommodate the transmitter unit and the receiver unit thereon; forming a housing which includes a light-transmissible material and a light shielding material partially covering the light-transmissible material; and connecting the housing to the substrate, to form at least one enclosed accommodation space for accommodating the receiver unit, wherein a portion of the light-transmissible material which is not covered by the light shielding material forms a light passage for the receiver unit to receive the light signal from outside of the enclosed accommodation space; wherein the enclosed receiver accommodation space formed by the housing and the substrate is larger than the receiver unit so that there is empty space around the receiver unit, and wherein the housing includes a top cover and at least one partition wall both made of the light-transmissible material, and the light shielding material includes at least one side shielding layer and a top shielding layer wherein the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface of the top cover, or the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface and a top surface of the top cover. ### Claim 7 A proximity sensor, comprising: a transmitter unit, for transmitting a light signal; a receiver unit, for receiving the light signal reflected by an object to determine a proximity status of the object; and a housing having at least a portion which defines an enclosed receiver accommodation space for surrounding and accommodating the receiver unit, the housing further having at least another portion which defines an enclosed transmitter accommodation space for accommodating the transmitter unit, wherein the portion of the housing defining the enclosed receiver accommodation space includes a sealed first light passage made of a light-transmissible material, and the first light passage is provided for the light signal reflected by the object to pass through, and wherein the another portion of the housing defining the enclosed transmitter accommodation space includes a sealed second light passage made of the light-transmissible material, and the second light passage is provided for the light signal transmitted from the transmitter unit to pass through; wherein the housing includes a portion made of the light-transmissible material whose surface is partially covered by a light shielding material such that the uncovered first light-transmissible material forms the first light passage and the second light passage, and the enclosed receiver accommodation space is larger than the receiver unit so that there is empty space around the receiver unit, and the housing includes a top cover and at least one partition wall both made of the light-transmissible material, and the light shielding material includes at least one side shielding layer and a top shielding layer wherein the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface of the top cover, or the at least one side shielding layer is adhered to the partition wall and the top shielding layer is adhered to a bottom surface and a top surface of the top cover.